Air tap assembly

ABSTRACT

An air tap assembly includes a mounting seat, a gasket, a connecting member, and an end cap. Thus, the sealing portion of the first mounting cap of the connecting member is rested on the gasket to interrupt the connection between the vent holes of the first mounting cap of the connecting member and the passage of the mounting seat, thereby preventing the air contained in the air cushion from leaking outward from the air tap assembly, so that the air tap assembly has an anti-reverse effect to prevent the air from leaking outward from the air cushion, thereby facilitating a user inflating the air cushion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an air tap assembly, and moreparticularly to an air tap assembly having an anti-reverse effect.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional air tap is mounted on an air cushion (or mattress) tointroduce air into the air cushion by an inflator or in a manual mannerso as to inflate the air cushion. However, the conventional air tap doesnot have an anti-reverse effect, so that the air is introduced throughthe air tap to flow outward from the air cushion freely, thereby greatlycausing inconvenience to a user when inflating the air cushion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an air tapassembly, comprising a mounting seat, a gasket, a connecting member, andan end cap, wherein:

the mounting seat has an inside formed with a passage and has an endformed with a mounting portion;

the gasket is mounted in the mounting portion of the mounting seat;

the connecting member is rotatably mounted on the mounting seat andincludes a first mounting cap rotatably mounted on the mounting portionof the mounting seat, and a second mounting cap mounted on the firstmounting cap;

the first mounting cap of the connecting member has a closed wall havinga periphery formed with a plurality of vent holes each communicatingwith the passage of the mounting seat and having a side formed with asealing portion rested on the gasket;

the second mounting cap of the connecting member has a closed wallhaving a periphery formed with a plurality of vent holes communicatingwith the vent holes of the first mounting cap of the connecting member;and

the end cap is mounted on the second mounting cap of the connectingmember and has a peripheral wall formed with a plurality of conductingchannels communicating with the vent holes of the second mounting cap ofthe connecting member.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an air tapassembly having an anti-reverse effect to prevent air from leakingoutward from the air cushion during the inflating process.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide an air tapassembly, wherein the sealing portion of the first mounting cap of theconnecting member is rested on the gasket to interrupt the connectionbetween the vent holes of the first mounting cap of the connectingmember and the passage of the mounting seat, thereby preventing the aircontained in the air cushion from leaking outward from the air tapassembly, so that the air tap assembly has an anti-reverse effect toprevent the air from leaking outward from the air cushion, therebyfacilitating a user inflating the air cushion.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent after a careful reading of the detailed description withappropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air tap assembly in accordance withthe preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the air tap assembly as shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the air tap assembly as shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan cross-sectional view of the air tap assembly as shownin FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic operational view of the air tap assembly as shownin FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1–4, an air tapassembly 1 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention comprises a mounting seat 12, a connecting member 1, and anend cap 10.

The mounting seat 12 has a stepped cylindrical shape and has an insideformed with a passage 121 longitudinally extended through a whole lengthof the mounting seat 12. The mounting seat 12 has an end formed with amounting portion 122.

A gasket 125 is mounted in the mounting portion 122 of the mounting seat12. The mounting portion 122 of the mounting seat 12 has a first endextended from the end of the mounting seat 12 and formed with an outerthread 126 and a second end having a stepped inner wall for mounting thegasket 125 and an outer wall formed with an annular flexible stop flange124 radially extended outward therefrom.

The connecting member 11 is rotatably mounted on the mounting seat 12and includes a cylindrical first mounting cap 112 rotatably mounted onthe mounting portion 122 of the mounting seat 12, and a cylindricalsecond mounting cap 111 closely mounted on the first mounting cap 112.Preferably, the first mounting cap 112 and the second mounting cap 111of the connecting member 11 are integrally combined with each otherduring the manufacturing process.

The first mounting cap 112 of the connecting member 11 has a closed wallhaving a periphery formed with a plurality of vent holes 1121 eachcommunicating with the passage 121 of the mounting seat 12 and having aside formed with a sealing portion 1122 rested on the gasket 125.Preferably, the vent holes 1121 of the first mounting cap 112 of theconnecting member 11 are arranged in an annular manner.

The first mounting cap 112 of the connecting member 11 is movablerelative to the mounting portion 122 of the mounting seat 12 between afirst position as shown in FIG. 4 where the sealing portion 1122 of thefirst mounting cap 112 of the connecting member 11 is rested on thegasket 125 to interrupt a connection between the vent holes 1121 of thefirst mounting cap 112 of the connecting member 11 and the passage 121of the mounting seat 12 and a second position as shown in FIG. 5 wherethe sealing portion 1122 of the first mounting cap 112 of the connectingmember 11 is detached from the gasket 125 so that the vent holes 1121 ofthe first mounting cap 112 of the connecting member 11 are connected tothe passage 121 of the mounting seat 12.

The first mounting cap 112 of the connecting member 11 has an insideformed with an inner thread 1124 screwed onto the outer thread 126 ofthe mounting portion 122 of the mounting seat 12. The inside of thefirst mounting cap 112 of the connecting member 11 is formed with anannular limit rib 1123 that is movable to abut the stop flange 124 ofthe mounting seat 12 to prevent the first mounting cap 112 of theconnecting member 11 from being moved outward excessively relative tothe mounting portion 122 of the mounting seat 12.

The second mounting cap 111 of the connecting member 11 has a closedwall having a periphery formed with a plurality of vent holes 1111communicating with the vent holes 1121 of the first mounting cap 112 ofthe connecting member 11. Preferably, the vent holes 1111 of the secondmounting cap 111 of the connecting member 11 are arranged in an annularmanner. The closed wall of the second mounting cap 111 of the connectingmember 11 has a side formed with a mounting portion 1112. The mountingportion 1112 of the second mounting cap 111 of the connecting member 11has a distal end formed with an annular flexible stop flange 1113radially extended outward therefrom.

The end cap 10 is mounted on the second mounting cap 111 of theconnecting member 11 and has a peripheral wall formed with a pluralityof conducting channels 101 communicating with the vent holes 1111 of thesecond mounting cap 111 of the connecting member 11. Preferably, theconducting channels 101 of the end cap 10 are arranged in an annularmanner, and each of the conducting channels 101 of the end cap 10 islongitudinally extended through a whole length of the end cap 10.

The end cap 10 has an inside formed with a mounting recess 102 mountedon the mounting portion 1112 of the second mounting cap 111 of theconnecting member 11. The mounting recess 102 of the end cap 10 has anend formed with an annular limit rib 103 that is movable to abut thestop flange 1113 of the mounting portion 1112 of the second mounting cap111 to prevent the end cap 10 from being moved outward excessivelyrelative to the mounting portion 1112 of the second mounting cap 111 ofthe connecting member 11.

In operation, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 with reference to FIGS. 1–3,the air tap assembly 1 is mounted on an air cushion (not shown), withthe mounting seat 12 being mounted to a corner of the air cushion tointroduce air into the air cushion so as to inflate the air cushion. Inaddition, an air valve (not shown) is mounted to the other corner of theair cushion to introduce the air outward from the air cushion so as todeflate the air cushion.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first mounting cap 112 of the connecting member11 is screwed onto the mounting portion 122 of the mounting seat 12, andthe sealing portion 1122 of the first mounting cap 112 of the connectingmember 11 is rested on the gasket 125 to interrupt the connectionbetween the vent holes 1121 of the first mounting cap 112 of theconnecting member 11 and the passage 121 of the mounting seat 12, sothat air of the ambient environment cannot be introduced through thepassage 121 of the mounting seat 12 into the air cushion.

As shown in FIG. 5, the first mounting cap 112 of the connecting member11 is unscrewed from the mounting portion 122 of the mounting seat 12 todetach the sealing portion 1122 of the first mounting cap 112 of theconnecting member 11 from the gasket 125, so that the vent holes 1121 ofthe first mounting cap 112 of the connecting member 11 are connected tothe passage 121 of the mounting seat 12, thereby allowing the air of theambient environment to flow through the passage 121 of the mounting seat12 into the air cushion.

In such a manner, the air of the ambient environment is introduced intothe conducting channels 101 of the end cap 10 by an inflator or in amanual manner, so that the air of the ambient environment in turn flowsthrough the conducting channels 101 of the end cap 10, the vent holes1111 of the second mounting cap 111 of the connecting member 11, thevent holes 1121 of the first mounting cap 112 of the connecting member11 and the passage 121 of the mounting seat 12 into the air cushion asshown in FIG. 5 so as to inflate the air cushion rapidly.

After the inflating process is finished or paused, the first mountingcap 112 of the connecting member 11 is again screwed onto the mountingportion 122 of the mounting seat 12, so that the sealing portion 1122 ofthe first mounting cap 112 of the connecting member 11 is moved to pressthe gasket 125 to interrupt the connection between the vent holes 1121of the first mounting cap 112 of the connecting member 11 and thepassage 121 of the mounting seat 12, thereby preventing the aircontained in the air cushion from leaking outward from the air tapassembly 1.

Accordingly, the sealing portion 1122 of the first mounting cap 112 ofthe connecting member 11 is rested on the gasket 125 to interrupt theconnection between the vent holes 1121 of the first mounting cap 112 ofthe connecting member 11 and the passage 121 of the mounting seat 12,thereby preventing the air contained in the air cushion from leakingoutward from the air tap assembly 1, so that the air tap assembly 1 hasan anti-reverse effect to prevent the air from leaking outward from theair cushion, thereby facilitating a user inflating the air cushion.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many otherpossible modifications and variations can be made without departing fromthe scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated thatthe appended claim or claims will cover such modifications andvariations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

1. An air tap assembly, comprising a mounting seat, a gasket, aconnecting member, and an end cap, wherein: the mounting seat has aninside formed with a passage and has an end formed with a mountingportion, wherein the mounting portion of the mounting seat has a firstend with an outer thread extended from the end of the mounting seat anda second end having a stepped inner wall; the gasket is mounted to thestepped inner wall in the mounting portion of the mounting seat; theconnecting member is rotatably mounted on the mounting seat and includesa first mounting cap rotatably mounted on the mounting portion of themounting seat, and a second mounting cap mounted on the first mountingcap, wherein the first mounting cap of the connecting member has aninside formed with an inner thread screwed onto the outer thread of themounting portion of the mounting seat; the first mounting cap of theconnecting member has a closed wall having a periphery formed with aplurality of vent holes each communicating with the passage of themounting seat and having a side formed with a sealing portion rested onthe gasket; the second mounting cap of the connecting member has aclosed wall having a periphery formed with a plurality of vent holescommunicating with the vent holes of the first mounting cap of theconnecting member; and the end cap is mounted on the second mounting capof the connecting member and has a peripheral wall formed with aplurality of conducting channels communicating with the vent holes ofthe second mounting cap of the connecting member.
 2. The air tapassembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the mounting portion of themounting seat has a second end having an outer wall formed with anannular flexible stop flange radially extended outward therefrom, andthe inside of the first mounting cap of the connecting member is formedwith an annular limit rib that is movable to abut the stop flange of themounting seat to prevent the first mounting cap of the connecting memberfrom being moved outward excessively relative to the mounting portion ofthe mounting seat.
 3. The air tap assembly in accordance with claim 1,wherein the first mounting cap and the second mounting cap of theconnecting member are integrally combined with each other.
 4. The airtap assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first mounting capof the connecting member is movable relative to the mounting portion ofthe mounting seat between a first position where the sealing portion ofthe first mounting cap of the connecting member is rested on the gasketto interrupt a connection between the vent holes of the first mountingcap of the connecting member and the passage of the mounting seat and asecond position where the sealing portion of the first mounting cap ofthe connecting member is detached from the gasket so that the vent holesof the first mounting cap of the connecting member are connected to thepassage of the mounting seat.
 5. The air tap assembly in accordance withclaim 1, wherein the vent holes of the first mounting cap of theconnecting member are arranged in an annular manner.
 6. The air tapassembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the vent holes of thesecond mounting cap of the connecting member are arranged in an annularmanner.
 7. The air tap assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein theclosed wall of the second mounting cap of the connecting member has aside formed with a mounting portion, and the end cap has an insideformed with a mounting recess mounted on the mounting portion of thesecond mounting cap of the connecting member.
 8. The air tap assembly inaccordance with claim 7, wherein the mounting portion of the secondmounting cap of the connecting member has a distal end formed with anannular flexible stop flange radially extended outward therefrom, andthe mounting recess of the end cap has an end farmed with an annularlimit rib that is movable to abut the stop flange of the mountingportion of the second mounting cap to prevent the end cap from beingmoved outward excessively relative to the mounting portion of the secondmounting cap of the connecting member.
 9. The air tap assembly inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the conducting channels of the end capare arranged in an annular manner.
 10. The air tap assembly inaccordance with claim 1, wherein each of the conducting channels of theend cap is longitudinally extended through a whole length of the endcap.
 11. The air tap assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein themounting seat has a stepped cylindrical shape.
 12. The air tap assemblyin accordance with claim 1, wherein the passage is longitudinallyextended through a whole length of the mounting seat.
 13. The air tapassembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first mounting cap ofthe connecting member has a cylindrical shape.
 14. The air tap assemblyin accordance with claim 1, wherein the second mounting cap of theconnecting member has a cylindrical shape.
 15. An air tap assembly,comprising a mounting seat, a gasket, a connecting member, and an endcap, wherein: the mounting seat has an inside formed with a passage andhas an end formed with a mounting portion; the gasket is mounted in themounting portion of the mounting seat; the connecting member isrotatably mounted on the mounting seat and includes a first mounting caprotatably mounted on the mounting portion of the mounting seat, and asecond mounting cap mounted on the first mounting cap; the firstmounting cap of the connecting member has a closed wall having aperiphery formed with a plurality of vent holes each communicating withthe passage of the mounting seat and having a side formed with a sealingportion rested on the gasket; the second mounting cap of the connectingmember has a closed wall having a periphery formed with a plurality ofvent holes communicating with the vent holes of the first mounting capof the connecting member; and the end cap is mounted on the secondmounting cap of the connecting member and has a peripheral wall formedwith a plurality of conducting channels communicating with the ventholes of the second mounting cap of the connecting member; wherein theclosed wall of the second mounting cap of the connecting member has aside formed with a mounting portion, and the end cap has an insideformed with a mounting recess mounted on the mounting portion of thesecond mounting cap of the connecting member.
 16. The air tap assemblyin accordance with claim 15, wherein the mounting portion of the secondmounting cap of the connecting member has a distal end formed with anannular flexible stop flange radially extended outward therefrom, andthe mounting recess of the end cap has an end formed with an annularlimit rib that is movable to abut the stop flange of the mountingportion of the second mounting cap to prevent the end cap from beingmoved outward excessively relative to the mounting portion of the secondmounting cap of the connecting member.
 17. An air tap assembly,comprising a mounting seat, a gasket, a connecting member, and an endcap, wherein: the mounting seat has an inside formed with a passage andhas an end formed with a mounting portion, wherein the mounting portionof the mounting seat has a first end extended from the end of themounting seat and formed with an outer thread; the gasket is mounted inthe mounting portion of the mounting seat; the connecting member isrotatably mounted on the mounting seat and includes a first mounting caprotatably mounted on the mounting portion of the mounting seat, and asecond mounting cap mounted on the first mounting cap, wherein the firstmounting cap of the connecting member has an inside formed with an innerthread screwed onto the outer thread of the mounting portion of themounting seat; the first mounting cap of the connecting member has aclosed wall having a periphery formed with a plurality of vent holeseach communicating with the passage of the mounting seat and having aside formed with a sealing portion rested on the gasket; the secondmounting cap of the connecting member has a closed wall having aperiphery formed with a plurality of vent holes communicating with thevent holes of the first mounting cap of the connecting member; and theend cap is mounted on the second mounting cap of the connecting memberand has a peripheral wall formed with a plurality of conducting channelscommunicating with the vent holes of the second mounting cap of theconnecting member the gasket is mounted, wherein the mounting portion ofthe mounting seat has a second end having an outer wall formed with anannular flexible stop flange radially extended outward therefrom, andthe inside of the first mounting cap of the connecting member is formedwith an annular limit rib that is movable to abut the stop flange of themounting seat to prevent the first mounting cap of the connecting memberfrom being moved outward excessively relative to the mounting portion ofthe mounting seat.